3 faced doll porcelain doll

[allypeez]

I have had this for about 8 years, purchased from a thrift store and it was so interesting I had to buy it. I showed my co workers and they freaked out but I thought it must have some type of vintage or history to it, the top of the head has a hole and maybe there was something there that turned it for the child to see all faces? I am just taking a wild guess. It's in mint condition, even the finger nail polish on the girl is not chipped nor is her body, however from the waist up is porcelain but the waist down is all cloth. I don't have a pic of the bonnet but I do have it in one of my other shoe boxes. It has no name or anything marked on it at all, so that's why I am wondering if someone just bought the items from an catalog like a doll catalog and did it themselves? or

Please let me know.

thank you

[wendy177]

allypeez these three faced dolls were produced from the 1860s -1980s Yours appears to be older but a maker needs to be determined to place a time frame. These dolls needed cumbersome head covers and many seemed unrealistic due to hiding a ring at the crown of the wig to turn the faces some did not hide this ring. Have you check the base of the porcelain waste, most dolls even older are marked somewhere. Is there a hole in the top of the bonnet?? if so the ring showed. These were made by many famous doll manufacturers Fritz Bartenstien & Carl Bergner both of Germany to name a few. If you can not find a makers mark Here are some other doll makers who produced multi-faced dolls: J.D. Kestner ,Kley & Hahn ,Simon & Halbig I would search their work & see if you can find anything looks similar to your doll. good luck let us know what you discover

[waywardangler]

There was one of these on Antiques Roadshow quite some time ago.  Richard? critiqued it.  I think he said it was Baby crying, Baby smiling, and Baby ?.  I do not remeber what price he estimated.

[KC]

There have been lots of 3 expression dolls made....even a 4 expression dolll was made in the 1866!  They were the most popular in the early 1950's.

Here's some more places to look at http://www.antiquedolls.co.nz/multi-face_dolls.htm